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Alphabet games

Although I really don’t care for spiders, it’s one of my students’ favorite themed-units.

I keep things non-creepy with nursery rhymes, fun stories and interesting crafts. Spiders are also a fun fall theme, if you don't do Halloween; or if you do, these spider activities are a fun educational activity for Halloween week or party day.

Each month I switch up my center and table top activities, with whatever theme we have for that week. Just a few simple tweaks and everyday practice becomes exciting and fresh.

* Large and small patterns to make “Clippy the spider” an alphabet clothespin game. Use for a center, assessment, whole group craftivity, game for struggling students, or fun homework assignment. This is an inexpensive game to make, as The Dollar Store sells packs of "hinged" clothespins. Students clip the lowercase letter clothespin, to the matching uppercase letter on the spider. Younger kiddos can simply practice one-to-one correspondence and match UC to UC or LC to LC letters. I've included a smallerpattern, as a super-fun way to practice as a whole group, which is also a quick and easy way to whole group assess. My Y5s love making their own spider and even name them!

Children get just one clothespin. Teacher calls out a letter, students find it and clip their clothespin, then hold up their spider. You can see at a glance who is having difficulty. You can use pipe cleaners or paper strips to make the spider's legs. The packet also includes...

I’ve included a 4-page “tip list” filled with ideas of how to use the ABC cards + directions for the games that I know your students will really enjoy.

There are also a variety of worksheets...

* 5 “trace & write” worksheets are a simple way to practice both upper and lowercase letters

* “I spy!” is another whole group game that practices upper or lowercase letters, which I use as a quick, easy and super-fun way to whole group assess too. One student game sheet, can be used 5 times!

* The 3 “Spin to Win” worksheet games are especially fun for students. For your convenience I've also included an ...

* Assessment worksheet, where students match the lowercase letter to the matching uppercase letter, plus 2 individual assessment forms, one for uppercase and another for lowercase letters. You can assess 4 times with one recording sheet.

* The “Spider Slider” craft is one of my students' favorites. It's another fun way to practice and whole group assess upper or lowercase letters, as there is a "slider" strip for each.

To practice patterning, have students choose 2 or 3 different color crayons or markers, then trace the letters in an AB-AB or ABC-ABC color pattern.

You can do "double duty" by using the "Clippy" spider pattern as a slider too.

Simply glue the upper or lowercase letter circle to the back, then cut slits in the spider's body on the front and insert the uppercase slider!

When students are done "sliding" they can use a paperclip and fold up the strip, then clip away for the other game.

Finally...* There's a “spiderific” certificate of praise (4 on a page) bookmark, which students can color.

While waiting for “my turn” at the ophthalmology office, I was staring at a framed print of an old-fashioned eye chart, wondering how I could use that in my classroom. The result of that long wait, is this “ABC the letters & numbers” packet, with C (see) being a play-on-words.

It took some time to design the eye charts, so that they not only looked like the “real deal”, but included all of the uppercase letters, so they can be used as a unique teaching tool, plus help practice letter identification & recognition. Easy-peasy for you & fun for your students.

You can use the traditional “E at the top” chart, or the one that says “I Spy!”

Besides the eye charts, the packet also includes a variety of “Eye Spy” alphabet & number worksheets & games, plus 26, mini puzzle glasses, where students match the uppercase letter to the lowercase one, along with 21 matching numeric puzzles, which help practice numbers 0-20, sequencing, subitizing & simple addition.

I’ve also included an assessment mat & recording sheet for both upper & lowercase letters.

A set of upper & lowercase "eyeball" cards, can be used in a variety of activities and games. I've included a 3-page tip list of what you can do with them.

There's also a set of "I Spy My Name"color-me worksheets, if your students are learning to write their names and identify those letters.

There are 4 boys & 4 girl options children can choose from, plus a colorful pattern you can use to quickly & easiy make a sample to share.

About the CHARTS:

My Y5s absolutely love pretending, and talking about what they want to be when they grow up, so “becoming” a real eye doctor is right up their alley.

Print and laminate the eye chart so it can become a part of your pretend play area. I keep a copy in our “doctor kit” tub.

If you don’t have an “imagination station” set up in your classroom as part of your daily routine, that’s fine too, as being able to “play eye doctor” will be even more exciting, as children don’t normally get to have this as a center activity.

Pair up a strong student with a struggler, so that they can each take turns being the patient, as well as the eye doctor. If you have older reading buddies that come in to help with your youngsters, this is also a fun activity for that time slot.

The “doctor” asks the “patient” to read the various lines. My kiddos use a “pencil pointer”, so they are specifically pointing to each letter. Having a pointer is also a “cool tool” and adds to the fun.

Besides the “Partner Pretend” practice game, you can also use the eye chart poster as an alternative assessment tool, where students point to each letter and say it.

The eye chart also works as a fun ”I spy!” worksheet game. Run them off, then choose a student to call out a letter. Children find it and circle it. You can see at a glance who is having difficulty.

Another idea for the eye chart is using it for a “whole group” activity. Using a dry erase marker, have a child come up and circle a letter that you ask for. You could also point to a letter and call on children to tell you what that letter is.

The numbered lines are also helpful, so you can reinforce number recognition as well. i.e. “Please read the letters on line 5” or point to a number and ask the name of it; or “Please show me the number 3”

The chart can also be used for ordinal number practice. “What is the third letter on line 2?” I love it when I can use a visual for more than one thing, and thought you’d appreciate that too.

Today's featured FREEBIE is a versatile "FanSailboat Craftivity"that's suitable for the end of the year: “Have fun sailing into summer. I hope it’s fantastic!”, as well as for back-to-school: “Have fun sailing into a new school year. I hope it’s fantastic!”

Inserting a pencil, pen, marker, glow stick or Pixie candy stick for a mast, is an inexpensive little gift you can give your new or departing students as well.

That's it for today. Thanks for stopping by.

Time to go soak up some sunshine as I water my garden.

Wishing you a carefree day.

"Like a welcome summer rain, humor may suddenly cleanse and cool the earth, the air, and you."-Langston Hughes

It’s a terrific, springtime story for introducing your study of clouds, and helps children stretch their imaginations.

Because my Young Fives really enjoy this story, I designed several cloud-themed activities for them to transition to, after we read the tale. They are both featured on the blog today, along with an awesome FREEBIE.

Since "It Looked Like Spilt Milk"is perfect for practicing the “sequencing and retelling a story” standards, I designed a quick, easy and fun slider craftivity, which will help your students retell the story in the proper order.

There are 2 outside slider options to choose from.

One features a cloud, the other a square with a spilled milk "splat".

I chose blue construction paper, to resemble the story as well as the color of the sky.

Pick your favorite or give children a choice.

Students color the story elements on the “slider strip” then cut and glue it together.

There are 2 "storytelling slider strip" options as well. One, for beginning readers, has the pictures labeled, while the other strip's graphics are blank.

As they pull on the end of the “slider-strip” the various “cloud” pictures go through the “window”, so that children can take turns retelling the story to a partner or reading buddy, then take their craftivity home to share with their family, once again practicing these standards.

I introduce the lesson by reading the book ”It Looked Like Spilt Milk”, then share my completed "slider craft” with my students.

After I read the story, we retell the tale together, using the picture prompts on my slider.

I have them guess which story element they think comes next, before I pull the picture through the “window”.

My students now know what’s expected of them, and are very excited to transition to making an “It Looked Like Spilt Milk” storytelling slider of their own.

Storytelling sliders are also an easy & interesting way to assess comprehension.

I’ve included a “Let’s “sequence the story” activity for this, where students color and trim the picture “windows” then glue them in the correct order on their worksheet.

There’s also a “Here’s What Happened…” writing prompt worksheet, as another way to check comprehension, plus practice sequential writing, hopefully using a variety of ordinal numbers and other transitions.

Finally, I thought it would be fun to practice upper and lowercase letters with a "cloud alphabet", which also includes an "animal cloud" for each letter as well.

* 2 sets of animal cloud cards. There is a “cloud animal” for each letter of the alphabet.

* There are also matching animal word cards, which will provide more ways to play “Memory Match” and “I Have; Who Has?” games.

* Children can also pick a picture card and describe the animal using 1-3 adjectives OR… * Pick a word card and use it in a sentence. OR… * Students can arrange the letter and/or word cards in alphabetical order.

-Use the “Kaboom!” cards to add to the fun. -Use the cover to make an “Itty Bitty” booklet.

* I’ve also included a 5-page, tip list of other games and things you can use the cards for.

* 2 poster poems to introduce the lesson

These activities can be used for independent centers, whole group activities, Daily 5 word work, early finishers, homework, or tossed in a sub tub.

Choose which one is most appropriate for your students, or give them a choice.They attach the worksheet to their initial.

One option practices the vocabulary associated with letters. "Cc is for Cody and cat, crayon, clown, circle, crown & car."

So that the letter "pops" out, have children choose 2 colors to write their words.

For added pizzazz have them draw and color a picture of one of the words.

Another writing prompt option, "I am unique like a snowflake!" helps students get to know a bit more about their classmates.

I find that children really enjoy sharing about themselves, so filling in the blanks on this worksheet (favorite color, food, animal etc.) is an especially fun activity for them. When everyone is done, have them "show & share" their completed project.

The 3rd writing prompt option, is also a fill-in-the-blank worksheet which revolves around their letter and name, and practices counting.

Since all of the worksheets are so different, you could easily stretch this activity over several days doing all 3 prompts.

I've included a "Letters are 'snow' much fun!"poster for the center of your display.

Teachers can also assign a letter to each student then hang the completed alphabet cards up as a winter border, or use them as large flashcards.

These could also be collected, collated and made into a class-made, wintry alphabet book.

Introduce the craftivity with my snowflake “Hush!” poem. So that the poem easily transitions into the activity, I added another stanza on a separate poster: "We made our time together, snowing blowing better, making a snowflake letter!"

I’ve provided one in color, which can also be part of your bulletin board display, as well as a BW version for students to color, take home and read to their families.

The poem is packed with Dolch sight words and offers a nice rhyming review and easy way to include the poetry genre into your lessons.

* Besides the snowflake letter writing prompt craftivity, there’s also a Venn diagram compare & contrast activity, and a set of lovely snowflake cards perfect for sorting, patterning, or playing a Memory Match game with.

* For more letter practice, I’ve included 2 sets of snowflake-themed, upper & lowercase letter cards, along with a 4-page tip list of what you can do with them, including games like “What’s Missing?”, “Hidden Letter”and“Kaboom!”.

* There’s also a set of snowflake alphabetpuzzles, plus a “How many words can you make using the letters in snowflake?”worksheet, with a 111-word answer key.

* The “I Spy a Letter!” game sheets are a quick, easy & fun way to whole group assess upper or lowercase letters.

* The 6 bonus worksheets are nice for early finishers, homework or a sub tub.

Because the story is all about this little mouse’s name, I like to transition my kiddos to some name writing activity afterwards.

These puzzles provide a super-fun way to do that, plus children get in some uppercase alphabet practice too.

They're a real “sanity saver” as children are happily engaged coloring, cutting, then putting their puzzle together. While they work independently you are freed up. Woo hoo!

The puzzles mix math with literacy, as they help practice sequencing numbers from 1-10, working on those toughie teen numbers, as well as skip counting by 10s.

Simply choose which number concept is most appropriate for your students.

For a fun back to school bulletin board, have children mount their puzzle to a sheet of construction paper leaving a little gap between each strip, which will create an interesting mosaic effect.

I’ve included 2 “ABC 1-2-3 Look Who’s In The Class With Me!” posters to use for the center of your display. (Plus preschool, kindergarten and 1st grade as well).

There’s also a colorful Chrysanthemum puzzle (1-10, 11-20, & counting by 10s) to use as an independent math center, plus an additional name writing worksheet where children finish drawing Chrysanthemum.

Finally, while I was putzing with this, another name activity popped in my head, so I created a quick, easy & fun "color, cut & glue" name craft, which provides wonderful fine motor practice, plus assists children in learning how to spell their name as they begin to recognize those letters.

Completed projects make a sweet back to school bulletin board too. Besides the name craft, the packet also includes:

* Separate upper & lowercase letter cards, as well as a set of cards with both the upper and lowercase letter on one card.

Use them for Memory Match and “I Have; Who Has?” games.

I’ve also included a 4-page tip list of other ideas for the cards, including the “Kaboom!” game as well as . . .

* A variety of letter worksheets plus… * Some simple letter games like "What Letter Did Chrysanthemum Hide Today?" and "What's Missing?", as well as several dice worksheet games.

Children can color their poster all at once, or keep the poster in their writing journals, and color only the letters that they have studied & mastered.

This is a wonderful visual way for kiddos to see how much they are learning in a short amount of time--a real self-esteem builder.

You can also use the poster to play an “I Spy a Letter” game. Give children an M&M or other manipulative. Call out a letter; children cover it with their playing piece.

You can see at a glance who is having difficulty, which makes this a quick, easy & fun way to whole group assess.

Click on the link to pop on over to my TpT shop for this latest Emergent Reader Dollar Deal.While you're over there, I would so appreciate it if you'd follow me; you'll know when I post more Dollar Deals & FREEBIES that way. Thanks in advance.

Well that's it for today. I need to get going on apple stuff before it's pumpkin time! So LOVE fall. Wishing you a day filled with giggles.

"In the sweetness of friendship let there be laughter, and sharing of pleasures. For in the dew of little things the heart finds its morning and is refreshed."-Khalil Gibran

I’m delighted to post anotherDollar Deal from Diane. This “owl-phabet” craftivity is a super-fun way for students to practice upper & lowercase letters .

Look closely at Ollie the owl’s eyes. You will see an uppercase letter in one, and a lowercase letter in the other. Ollie is one of my "Turn & Learn” alphabet wheels.

Play "I Spy” a letter & have children turn the "eye wheels" 'til they've found both.

They hold their owl in the air, and you can see at a glance who is having difficulty.

You can also play “Whoooo has a clue?” Call on a child to choose a letter, then give 3 clues to the class. For example: “My letter is a vowel; it comes before P and after N. What’s the ”mystery letter?”

Children turn the owl’s “eyes” ’til they’ve found it. “Whoooo was the first? Is that person correct?”

I've also included a few owl-themed worksheets and a "color me"bookmark in the packet.

Besides playing games with Ollie, use it as a non-threatening way to assess.

Turn Ollie into an “Owl” miss you!” activity at the end of the year, so that students can review letters over the summer, lest they forget all you’ve crammed into their heads.

For a quick & easy way to make the letter “windows” in the eye, I used a circle paper punch.

I set Ollie up as a center/station activity that children get to do after they have completed their morning table top work.

All of the pieces and parts are on a table, with a variety of colors to choose from. They pick out their parts & return to their desks to put Ollie together.

You can also do this as a whole-group "monkey see-monkey do" activity, where you demonstrate the assembly step-by-step & children copy what you are doing.

Click on the link to pop on over to my TpT shop to grab Olliefor just a dollar. I hope your kiddos enjoy their owl-phabet pal as much as mine did.

The featured FREEBIE for today is a set of owl alphabet cards. Click on the link to get your set today. There are 3 sets in the packet. Owls showing both the upper & lowercase letters, as well as separate sets of each, so that you can play Memory Match,Speed, and "I Have; Who Has?" games.

Well that's it for now. Thanks for visiting. It's still chilly out, so time to grab my jacket and take my poodle pup Chloe for a walk.

Whether you do a letter of the week, or review a letter a day, I think you & your kiddos will enjoy my newest creation: The Letter Aa packet.

I know there are a zillion letter activities out there, but I think I've come up with some really creative & different ones, that will help make learning the alphabet especially fun.

I’ve incorporated a variety of standards for reading, writing, and even tossed in some math, so that you get more bang for your “time buck”, as you can review additional things besides one letter of the alphabet.

This is the first in a series of letter packets.

Countless hours went into designing it, because I wanted to create a format that I could use with every letter.

The consistency, will empower students, as they can get right down to business because they know what to do.

This independence builds confidence, which leads to self-esteem.

Teaching’s a breeze because you don’t have to waste time continuing to give directions or explaining what you want your kiddos to do.

Children are responsible & accountable, which frees you up to work one-on-one with strugglers.

The packets are a big & loaded with lots of variety.

There are activities to suit various levels, as well as practice reading & writing skills at the same time.

Simply choose what’s right for you and build your lesson plan.

You’ll have plenty left over, to use in a sub folder, as homework, independent centers, or for early finishers.

The packet includes:

* Posters & anchor charts* Emergent readers

* Lots of Worksheets* Pocket chart cards* and a variety of Games.* There are also several "craftivities" such as the letter pennant.

Children decorate their pennant with things that start with the letter Aa. They can use stickers, pictures cut from magazines, words, letters, & clip art.

* There are Bookmarks* Puzzles* A Song* A Maze* and a Word Search.

Another thing that I included in the packet are “Learn & Earn”brag tags. I think your kiddos will really enjoy collecting them.

There's one for each letter of the alphabet, plus a star-student one to hand out, when they've learned all of the letters.

Simply run the tag template off on card stock, trim, punch a hole at the top and attach them with split ring.

You can buy 8 in a package at The Dollar Store. There are large teacher tags, which you can use as flashcards.

The split ring makes it easy for children to flip through, so you can play "Flip & Find". You hold up your letter tag & children see who can find theirs the fastest.

You can also ask for the letter that is before or after the letter that you're showing them.

* There are a variety of writing prompts too. My personal favorite is the Letter Aa Post Card.

Children fill in the blanks with things that begin with the letter Aa. Grab a teachable moment with "How to address correspondence".

My Alphabet Wheels have been so popular, that I wanted to make a set for each individual letter.

There's a color copy for the teacher, as well as a black & white one, so that students can make their own.

Each packet will also have an alliterative story.

This packet features "Going Ape". Counting how many featured letters are in the story, will provide additon practice as well.

Besides a letter story and alphabet wheel, each letter packet will also have a "_______ is for . . ." flip booklet.

These are emergent readers that help reinforce pronouns too.

The background picture features something that begins with that letter. For the letter Aa I used an apple.

* A 100 chart hidden letter provides more math practice.* There's also a class book writing prompt and* A Word Work booklet plus

*A cute certificate of praise, with 2 on a page to save paper.

Have students keep them all together, and when done staple their "Letter Achievement" booklet together.

* Also included is an “I found the sound” activity as well as* A “growing” alphabet booklet (As you study a new letter that page will be added to this Itty Bitty “Alpha-bits” booklet.

My Y5s really enjoy making "Itty Bitty" things that are "just the right size" for them. With that in mind, I designed a "Pocket Full Of Practice".

Since lined paper is really inexpensive because of the loss leaders supply stores have, (I picked up a pack of 100 sheets for just a quarter) I decided to have my kiddos fold a sheet into a pocket, to hold "small stuff" that they completed from the letter packet.

Everything is in one place, things don't get lost in the bottom of a backpack, and parents have a nice little keepsake. The paper pocket full of practice, is also included in every letter packet.

Because these packets are over 100 pages each (The Aa packet is a whopping 140 pages long!) I will not be "bundling" them, when they are all finished.

I will however, sell them for only $3.00, instead of the usual $4.95 for packets with this amount of work. As an added bonus, the first 48 hours they will be on sale for just $2.50.